Programme Officer – P3

Organizational Setting

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

The Department for Country Operations (DCO) oversees the origination, design and management of IFAD investments, including sovereign and non-sovereign operations, as well as the design and implementation of non-lending activities within country programmes, including policy engagement and SSTC. DCO is the department that primarily interfaces with governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to deliver IFAD’s programme of work and to provide oversight to ensure quality of the portfolio.

DCO is led by an Associate Vice-President and is composed of five (5) regional divisions: Asia and the Pacific Division (APR), East and Southern Africa Division (ESA), Latin America and Caribbean Division (LAC), Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) and West and Central Africa Division (WCA), the Private Sector Operations Division (PSD), and two (2) units: the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Unit (SSTC) and the fragility unit (FRU).

The Regional Division LAC is led by a Divisional Director, based in the IFAD Regional Office Panama City, Panama. The Division leads on the design and delivery of IFAD country and regional programmes in LAC. The precise country coverage of the division varies across replenishment periods.

Job Role

The incumbent is responsible for coordinating programmes and/or projects within the assigned portfolio.

Key Functions and Results

1.COUNTRY STRATEGY AND COUNTRY PROGRAMME SUPPORT: The incumbent provides a solid understanding of international practices and of IFAD’s policies and procedures to ensure activities of a programme or project within their assigned portfolio enhance the related technical quality of IFAD ‘s activities within the relevant country, through effective programme (COSOP) and project (grants and loans) design, supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting (PSR) and completion (PCR) activities. The incumbent also provides substantive contributions toward the development of advice and technical guidance in support of sustainable government strategies, policies and programmes to improve agricultural development and rural poverty reduction. The incumbent is further accountable for capacity building activities including identifying, analyzing, documenting, harmonizing and disseminating both national and local issues as well as conditions and best practices and lessons learned among partner development agencies. Capacity building activities will include coordinating meetings, workshops and seminars with project management teams, government, partners and other stakeholders.

2. COUNTRY OFFICE SUPPORT: The incumbent is accountable for day-to-day administration and reporting in support of the Supervisor and for supervision of assigned Country Programme Associate/Assistant. In addition to human resources management, The incumbent has accountability for financial and material resources and related processes including managing contracts for services. The incumbent provides inputs to budget preparation and monitors expenditures, manages contract completion and certifies payments.

3. SUPPORT TO PARTNERSHIP BUILDING: As a key DCO team member, the incumbent enhances IFAD’s relationships and collaborations with in-country counterparts through the identification of synergies and proposing coordinated strategies with multilateral/bilateral donors and civil-society organizations involved in agricultural development and rural poverty reduction. The incumbent establishes and maintains counterpart contacts to promote programme and project collaboration and harmonization as well as identifies financing opportunities with other donors.

4. POLICY DEVELOPMENT/KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: The incumbent participates in relevant policy meetings and events of interest to IFAD’s target groups and which involve the government, donors, and civil society, including NGOs, in order to develop an enabling environment for sustainable, pro-poor development. From an international best practices perspective, The incumbent analyzes evidenced based recommendations from projects to link the realities on the ground and the voices of the poor with the policies and programmes of the government. The incumbent contributes to IFAD’s policy intelligence with regular updates and information exchange with their Supervisor on relevant policy discussions and ensures a continuous knowledge flow with peers in accordance with the knowledge management mechanism in place. This will serve to enhance the empowerment of the rural poor and disadvantaged so that they can enter into partnerships at all levels of policy dialogue.

5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The incumbent is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources.

Furthermore, the incumbent:

• Supports relevant Country Director(s) for global/ regional engagement with the Brazil ICO
• Promotes the implementation of non-lending activities and RTA for the Brazil ICO
• Support partnerships with climate finance institutions and other strategic partnerships for the Brazil ICO
• Serve as focal point for corporate priorities as agreed with the Country Director from the Brazil ICO

Key Performance Indicators

The incumbent maintains the standards for IFAD’s competence in development in their assigned portfolio. The incumbent has demonstrated technical expertise and credibility in portfolio management and creates the foundation for IFAD’s capacity and reputation for programme delivery and enhances its recognition as a reliable development partner. The incumbent provides substantive support in the development of country strategy, project design, partnership building and policy development and the foundation for enhancing sustainable government strategies and policies to improve the livelihoods of the poor and other disadvantaged groups.

Working Relationships

In the context of programme development and delivery, the incumbent ensures the exchange of information, advocates for programme and policy enhancements and ensures consistency and reliability in the provision of development assistance to the government. In collaboration with other members of the UN country team, bi-lateral development agencies, NGOs and country programme counterparts, the incumbent establishes and maintains relationships and projects the image of IFAD as a credible/reliable partner striving for harmonization of development activities.

Job Profile Requirements

Organizational Competencies:

Level 1:

• Building relationships and partnerships – Builds and maintains effective working relationships
• Communicating and negotiating – Communicates effectively; creates understanding between self and others
• Demonstrating leadership – Personal leadership and attitude to change
• Focusing on clients – Focuses on clients
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating – Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge & innovates
• Managing performance and developing staff
• Managing time, resources and information – Manages own time, information and resources effectively
• Problem-solving and decision-making – Demonstrates sound problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Strategic thinking and organizational development – Personal influence
• Team working – Contributes effectively to the team

Education:

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php in rural development, agriculture, economics, rural finance, development policy, agricultural economics, development economics, environment management, bio diversity conservation, forestry, engineering, climate change, social or other relevant disciplines relevant to IFAD operations is required (*).

(*) Note: For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD’s Human Resources Implementing Procedures. Level – Advanced university degree

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in rural development, agriculture, economics, rural finance, development policy or other related field.

Languages:

• Required: English and Spanish (4 – Excellent)
• Desirable: French, Arabic or Portuguese (3 – Good)

Skills:

• IFAD partners: Knowledge of IFAD’s partners’ functioning and mandate, such as the public sector (e.g. governments and policy, institutions and system), non-state actors (NGOs, CSOs, Foundations, etc.) and private sector actors
• Analytical skills: Outstanding ability to analyse and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative information from a variety of sources and filter out key insights and recommendations
• Time management: Adherence to deadlines under time constraints and pressure (e.g. to deliver governing body documents on time); ability to coordinate and manage complex workflows and in-house and external teams
• Initiative and good judgment: High sense of proactive initiative-taking and good judgement (including on security matters)
• Interpersonal skills: Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others (e.g. visitors, clients, callers, etc.), including senior individuals (e.g. high-level meeting participants)
• Verbal communication: Clear, succinct and convincing verbal communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language
• Written communication: Clear, succinct and convincing written communication in the language needed for specific role; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language (e.g. for drafting of position papers, briefings, etc.)
• Loans & grants: Know-how in designing loan and grant operations and managing loan and grant preparation process
• Policy dialogue: Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner, advocating and promoting IFAD’s mandate and vision; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts – like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society
• Topical expertise – Programme Mgmt for Agricultural Development: Expertise relevant to the specific role (e.g. For ethics office assistant, procedures outlined in the Code of Conduct, Discipline and Anti-harassment provisions of applicable rules and guidelines)
• Project/Programme mgmt (incl. coordination, design, development): Know-how in Project design and evaluation

Other Information

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD’s Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation in line with its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy and the Policy to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Please be aware of fraudulent job offers.

IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org In accordance with IFAD’s provisions, all new staff members will normally be placed at the first step in the grade level for which they have been selected.

For information on IFAD’s remuneration package, please visit IFAD’s compensation and benefits page on our website. Applicants are invited to use the ICSC compensation calculator to estimate the salary and benefit entitlements.

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews. In the interest of making most cost-effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

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